


Downtime

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Fanfic Writers AU [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fans & Fandom, Discussed Revan/Bastila, Fanfiction Writer Ben Solo, M/M, Metafiction, Minor Jessika Pava/Paige Tico, Reader Poe Dameron, Sort Of, mentions of amnesia, yes they are the friends Poe mentions in his review
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 13:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19063912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: In which Ben is a writer and Poe’s one of his loyal readers, Blackleader1.





	Downtime

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Metafiction
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It was almost difficult to write like this.   
  
It wasn’t that the dorm room wasn’t uncomfortable. It was, after all, well set up. It had just about everything, up to and including the Knights of the Old Republic (or KOTOR) posters that Ben had brought from home. Hux on the other side of the room was busy doing his science homework; Ben honestly did savor the silence.   
  
Even as he typed out his latest chapter of his AU fic where Bastila didn’t get captured by Malak and turned to the Dark Side, thank you very much, his rock music playing through his headphones, Ben was grateful that Hux couldn’t hear it. The redhead would probably find yet another thing to needle Ben about, and Ben doubted he needed something like that.   
  
_Bastila sighed. “I wish that there was a better way to tell you...who you really were. The Council feared that you would turn to the Dark Side after discovering your true identity...”_  
  
Saying that the reveal had left a rotten taste in Ben’s mouth was an understatement. But he worked through it. That was the life of a fan. It was a form of hard work in and of itself.   
  
It was minutes later, when he’d let his online friend Blackleader1 that he had uploaded his latest chapter of “Go Not Gentle” (when in doubt, draw from the classics in terms of titles) that he checked his inbox and found a message from Blackleader1:  
  
 _Hey. Pretty interesting so far! I like how you handled the conversation between Revan and Bastila; it felt pretty realistic. Sounds like you’re really good at tapping into realistic human emotions. I don’t blame Revan one bit for being angry; I remember seeing it with BlueThree and BomberGirl, and just being so angry at the reveal. (Seriously, much love for Revanstila, but that was just...holy shit. Poor Revan)  
  
And God bless Mission. She’s a smart cookie, that girl. Can’t wait to see how you’ll handle Manaan. (Seriously, so glad they saved Manaan for last. The Selkath are insufferable.) _  
  
Ben smiled faintly. There was something about Blackleader1’s comments that always managed to make him feel better. Though the part about “tapping into realistic human emotions”...that was enough to make him remember when he’d finally discovered his grandfather was a criminal in high school. His mother had tried to explain herself, but some things couldn’t be forgiven, or necessarily forgotten.   
  
But that was then, this was now. Ben was nineteen. It was best he let the past die, so to speak.   
  
He typed up a reply to Blackleader1:  
  
 _Thanks! I don’t blame you for being angry at the reveal; I felt like I’d been hit by a truck when I found out. And Mission’s incredibly smart. Manaan’s going to be a little slow-going (and the Selkath are still annoying pricks. Wouldn’t be in-character otherwise. 😉) but hopefully it won’t be mind-numbingly boring._  
  
He posted the reply and he couldn’t help but smile. Ben didn’t normally just take to people, but Blackleader1 was an exception. A talented writer, a loyal reader, funny — Ben could only imagine he was fun to go to the movies with.   
  
He didn’t know if he’d ever meet him. But maybe one day he could. Something about him...  
  
Did he have a crush? Ben didn’t know.  
  
He only knew that Blackleader1 wasn’t boring. 


End file.
